Latch mechanism



Jan. l5, 19546.

w. P. cCUslNo LATCH MECHANISM Filed July 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY5.

Patented YJan. l5, 1946 LATCH MECHANISM Walter P. Cousino, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a

corporation ol Delaware Application July 21, 1941, Serial No. 403,319 Claims. (Cl. 'I0-146) The invention' relates to a latching mechanism and more particularly to a locking device for such a mechanism which may be locked or unlocked from either side of a door.

Automobile bodies have been provided with combined latches and locks which can be locked on the inside but cannot be unlocked from the outside, or locked from the outside but cannot be unlocked from the inside.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a mechanism which will permit the vehicle door to be locked from the inside and unlocked from the outside and to be locked from the outside and unlocked from theinside.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which cooperates between a latch control member and a key locking member such that the door can be locked by operating the latch control member'to control the key lock. By this arrangement the door can never be in its locked position when closing without the use of the key locking member. By this arrangement oi parts it is impossible to close the doors of a vehicle with the key inside and lock the operator outside of the. vehicle, lyet when the operator is inside the vehicle all doors can be locked so `that they cannot be unlocked from the outside without the use of the key.

A further object of the invention is to provide 4 a latch control member which operates in two directions from a normal position to control the locking device when moved in one direction and to control the latching mechanism when moved in the opposite direction -and to provide means for returning the latch control member to its normal position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive member which may be readily applied to a standard door latching and locking mechanism.

Still another object is to provide a lock for an automobile that,'having previously been locked by an inside control, may be unlocked by a key from the outside, and that, having previously been locked from the outside by a key, may be unlocked by anv .inside control. In automobiles of the present day it is frequently the practice to provide key-operated door locks at opposite sides of the automobile so that the operator'may leave through one of two doors and lock by key the door through which he has left, having previously locked by an inside control the opposite door. It is often inconvenient for him to reenter the automobilethrough the door through which he left, and yet if the lock effected by the* inside control prevents use of the key for unlocking the door from the outside, he is forced tofuse the door through which he left. It is, therefore, very desirable that a door be capable of unlocking from the outside by key after being locked by inside control. Thereverse is also desirable, for otherwise it will be impossible for an operator to vleave a car by a certain door if he has entered by another door, and the said certain door had been previously locked from outside by a key.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a portion of an automobile body showing the controls for the latching mechanism in a door; f

Fig. 2 is a side view of the latching mechanism, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the latching mechanism, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the salient features of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the remote control handle as viewed on line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings I have shown a portion of the side wall of an automobile body I0 and a door I2 hinged at I4 to one side of the body I Il. The usual dovetails I6 are'provided to properly align the door with' body when in closedpostion. The latching mechanism is illustrated at I8. An outside handle 20 is operatively connected to the latching mechanism I8 through a shank 22 and a key tumbler lock 24 is operatively connected to the locking mechanism of 'the latching mechanism I8 through a shank 26. An inside handle 28 is connected to the latching mechanism through a link 30.

The several parts lof the latch and lock mechanisms are supported on an angle plate 32 having a side wall 34 and an end wall 36. The side wall 34 is provided with an inwardly spaced plate 38, secured to the side wall by bent ears 40 projecting through openings in the side wall. The end wall 36 is provided with an inwardly spaced plate 42 and an outwardly spaced plate 44. The plate 42 is secured to the end wall 36 by bent ears 46 and the plate 44 is secured to the end wall 36 by rivets 48.

A latch memberv in the form of a star wheel 50 is rotatably supported in an opening 62 in the end wall 36 and is mounted on a shaft 54 supported by the plates 42 and 44. The projections 88 on the star wheel 58 engage a keeper in the form of a. projecting lug 58 in the door casing and when the wheel 88 is prevented from turning the door is held in latched position. A pawl 88 is pivotally mounted on a pin 82 and swings into and out of the path of the' projections 88. The projections 5S and 58' are in alignment and are separated by an annular rib 84. A coil spring 88 normally holds the pawl in the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the star wheel 88 is prevented from rotating to thereby hold the door in latched position.

, A roll back 88 is carried by the handle shank 22 and engages a bent over edge portion 18 on a sliding plate 12. The plate 12 is provided with a lug 14 which is positioned to engage a ilange 18 on the pawl 88. By turning the handle 28, the roll back 88 moves the plate 12 downwardly so that the lug 14 engages the ange 18 .to swing the pawl 88 out of the path of the projections 58' thereby permitting free rotation of the star wheel 58. A spring 11 urges the plate 12 upwardly.

'Ihe parts as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are in locked position. The key tumbler shank 28 is provided with a cam 18 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is in the path of the plate 12 preventing Adownward movement of the plate 12. By rotating the key cylinder `24 in a direction indicated by the arrow, by the vertically disposed key 25, the segment 18 is rotated out of the path of the plate 12 and the outside door handle may be turned to free the star wheel 58.

The link 38 is connected to a pivotally mounted plate 88. The latter is provided with a lug 82 which engages the flange 18 for swinging the pawl 88 by moving the inside handle 28. Either handle may be moved to operate the pawl 88 independently of the other and the inside handle 28 may be moved to operate the pawl 88 even though the parts are in the key locked position as shown.

The link 38 is connected to the inside handle 28 through a link 84 having a flat face 88 engaged by a spring 88 to hold the link 84 in a normal central position. The inside handle 28 may be moved in either direction and when released will return to its normal central position. When the handle is moved in one direction the star wheel 88 is released for unlatching the door and when moved in an opposite direction the mechanism may be locked as will be more fully explained.

In order to provide a means for operating the key cylinder 24 through movement of the inside handle 28, I have provided a link 98 with projecting ears 92, 94 and 98. This link may be a stamping from sheet metal with the ears bent from the edges of the metal. The ear 92 engages 18 throwing it into or out of the path of the' plate 12. 'I'he ear 94 is positioned underneath the Ilange 18 to be movedthereby. The ear 88 is positioned above a projection |88 on the plate It will be observed, particularly from Fig. 2, that the slot 98 lies at on about 45 to the horizontal when the cam 18 is in the locking or blocking position, and that the slot is at all times engaged by the ear 92 of the link 98. A clockwise rotation of the plate 88 by the handle 28 causes the lug 82 to move downwardly the ange 18 and therewith to disengage the pawi 88 from the wheel 8l for opening the door. If the cam 18 happens to be in the blocking position of Fig. 4. the flange 18 contacts the flange 94 in its downward movement, moving the link 88 downwardly and rotating the cam 18 clockwise out oi' a. position blocking the plate 12. Thereafter the door may be opened by the outside handle. When the handle 28 is released, it returns' to its neutral position, in which the lug 82 is lifted out of contact with flange 18 so that the pawl 88 is returned to engagement with the wheel 88, and thereby the door is again latched. Return of the handle 'Z8 and the plate 88 to the neutral position of Fig. 4 will. not cause a relooking of the door, tor the projection |88 on the plate 88 will move only up to the flange 98 on the link 88. This is evident because the space between the lug |88 and the ilange 96 shows that if the cam 18 were in unblocking position, the ilange 98 would be lowered no more than to contact the lug |88. Conversely the return of the inside handle 28 and the plate 88 to neutral position will do no more than make contact between the lug |88 and the flange 96, and so the cam 18 will be left in unblocking position. If the cam 18 is in unblocking position, and consequently the door is unlocked, a counterclockwise rotation, of the plate 88 produced by a movement of the link 38 due torotation of the handle 28 will cause an upward movement of the lug |88 to act by contact with the flange 96 to move the link 12 upwardiy and to rotate the cam counterclockwise to the blocking position of Fig. 4. Release of the handle 28 causes a return of the plate 88 to the lil neutral position of Fig. 4, in winch the lug |88 and the flange 98 are spaced from one another. This spacing permits the cam 18 to be .rotated to ublocking position by means of a key inserted from the outside of the door in the lock 24 without interference from the plate 88 and the inside handle 28. In order to cooperate with this mechanism as .shown and described, the lock 24 is of a type having a. lost motion built into it. Since such locks, and the details thereof, are known to the art and are available, and since the details form no part of this invention, the internal construction has not been further shown or described, and reference is made to Figs. 12-17 of Dall Patent No. 2,246,781 for a showing of a lock ofthis type.

:,0 In the manipulation of the device, assuming that the key cylinder 24 is in its locked position, the outside handle 28 cannot be moved because the cam 18 is in the path of the plate 12. The operator then unlocks the mechanism by turning the cam 18 in a direction indicated by the arrow out of the path of the plate 12. The out side handle 28 can then be moved, sliding the plate 12 downwardly and swinging the pawl 88 out of the path ot the star wheel 88 .permitting G0 it to rotate freely on the shaft 54. When the handle is released the plate 12 is returned to its normal position by the spring 11. When the door is closed the star wheel 58 can rotate in a clockwise direction when one of the projections 88 strikes the lug 88 but it is held against counterclockwise rotation by the pawl 88.

When the operator is inside the car and wishes to lock the door ,so that it cannot be opened the eer through anotn'erf'door with the mst door locked, he can unlock the first from the outside by the use of the key lock 2l because. the 'prof jection has moved downwardly'away-from` the ear 9 8 by means of the spring 88 and-the link Sl is free to be moved downwardly when the key lock is turned to move the' cam I8 out of the ,path of the plate 12.

By this arrangement of parts itis` impossible.

for an operator to lock'himself out of the car by Y' leaving his key inside the car ashas. happened Y heretofore many times. When the operator usesthe inside handle V2l to open the door. when it has been locked from the outside with the key the link 90 moves the cam 18 out of the locked position.' The act of closing the doorV will unlock' said latch device, and a'iaember operable-between said cam and said second. control for moving `said cam into andout of the path' of said rst named control.

v4. In a latchlmechanism 'for a door, a latch device for holding the Vdoor in closed position,

- an outside control for releasing said latch device including a movableplate, an inside control for releasing said latch device, a rotatable key operated cam movable into and out of the path of said movable plate, a member forming a connection vbetween said inside control and said cam, said member at one end thereof vhaving'a projection received in a recess in said cam and aprojection at the other end thereof for engage- -ment with said inside control.

the device so that it Vwill be necessary-to lock the door with the key from the outside if theA Y operator is outside of the car. The rotation of.`

star wheell 6U swings the pawl 6o and the flange 'i6 forces the link VSII downwardly rotating the cam 1a out of the path of the plate 1 2. If the 5. In a latching mechanism of the type havf ing a pawl-retained rotatable latch member, an

outside rollback for releasing the pawl, and a separate inside lever system for releasing the pawl,

' a locking member adapted t'o Abe positioned in alternate positions respectively permitting and preventing operative movement of theroll-back,

and a link connected to the locking member and independently engageable by said lever system e when in one position andby said pawl to enforce l. In a latch mechanism, a latch member ar-v Y ranged to operatively engage an associated keeper to hold associated closure members in predetermined position, means externally of the .closure members and operatively associated with said latch member to render said latch member ineffective to so hold said members,.a locking-member movable to block the movement of said latch operating means, means internally of the closure members operatively associated with saidlatch member to render said latch member ineiective and operable independently of said external means, anda link operable between said internal control means and' said locking member to effect movement thereof from a locked position to` an unlocked position or from an unlocked position to a locked position.

2. In a latch mechanism, a rotatable member having projections for engagement withV an associated keeper, a pawl for engagement with one of said projections to prevent rotation of said rotatable member in one direction, a -slidable member operatively associated with said pawl to swing the latter into and out of holding position with said rotatablemember, control means for moving said slidable member, a locking member movable to block, the movement of said slidable member, a second control means operatively associated with said pawl to ,swing the latter the positioning of the locking member in its nonlocking position, saidlink also being engageable by said lever system 'upon an alternate predetermined movement thereof to enforce the positioning'of the locking member in its locking position.

6'. In a latch mechanism, a pawl, a door latch member adapted to be engaged by the pawl, an outside rotatable handle, a plate member actuated by rotation of the handle to disengage the pawl from the latch member, a locking member movable into andv out of position to block the movement of the plate member, means operable from the outside for moving the locking member, an inside handle, a lever system extending from the inside handle to the pawl and operable upon predetermined movement of the inside handle to disengage the pawl from the latch member, and a link connected to saidlocking member and engageable by said lever system upon ,said predetermined movement to move said locking member from blocking to unblocking position, said lever system, upon another predetermined movement of the inside handle engaging said link to move the locking member to blocking position, where- Y by the latch may be operated and locked from into and out of holding position with said rotatable member independently of said first named control means, and a link operable in one direction to move said locking member into the path of said sliding member and in an opposite direction to move said locking member out of the path of said sliding member, said link being associated with said second control means whereby movement of the latter causes movement` of said link in opposite directions. e

3. In a llatch mechanism for a door, a latch device for holding the door in closed position, a control for releasing said latchdevice, a lock comprising a rotatable cam movable into and out of the path of said controLa second control for either the inside or outside independently of a previous actuation of the locking member from the opposite side. l l

'7. In the latching mechanism set forth in claim 6, spring means'for restoring the insidehandle to a neutral position after manual release from either of its predetermined manipulating positions.

8.. In combination, means for holding a door closed, a first control operable from one side of the door for releasing the holding means, blocking means movable to and from a. position blocking the first control from releasing the holding means, a second control operable from' the said one side of thedoor for moving the blocking means to and from blocking position, a

third control operable from the other side of the door so as to be shiftable from a neutral position in one direction to a rst extreme position to move to blocking position the same blocking means controlled by the second control and shiftable in another direction from the neutral position to a. second extreme position to move the said same blocking means out oi blocking position and to release the holding means, and means for urging the third control to neutral position from the iirst extreme position for causing the said same blocking means to be tree to be moved out of blocking position by the second control after having been moved there bythethird control.

9. In combination, means for holding a door closed, a iirst reciprocable member shiftable in a certain direction for releasing the holding means, a rst control operable from the outer side of the door for shifting the iirst reciprocable member in thesaid certain direction to release the holding means, a blocking member angularly movable to and from a blocking position engaging the rst reciprocable member for preventing movement of the same in the said certain direction and therewith release of the holding means, a key control operable from the outerv side of the door for angularly moving the blocking member to and from blocking position, a second reciprocable member positioned alongside the iirst reciprocable member and shiitable in the said certain direction to move the blocking member out of blocking position and shiitable in the opposite direction to move the blocking member into blocking position, and a third control operable from the inside of the door so as to be movable in one direction from a neutral position to shift the second reciprocable member in the said opposite direction for moving the blocking member to blocking position and to be movable in another direction from the neutral position to shift the said second reciprocable member in the said certain direction for moving the blocking member out of blocking position and for releasing the holding means. l

y10. In combination, means for holding a door closed, a iirst reciprocable member shiftable in a certain direction for releasing the holding means, a iirst control operable from the outer side o1' the door for shifting the rst reciprocable member in the said certain direction to release the holding means, a blocking member angularly movable to and from ablocking position engaging the iirst reciprocable member for preventing movement oi the same in the said certain direction and therewith release of the holding means, a key control operable from the outer side of the door for angularly moving the blocking member to and from blocking position, a second reciprocable member positioned alongside the ilrst reciprocable member and shiftable in the said certain direction to move the blocking member out oi blocking position and shiftable in the opposite direction to move the blocking member into blocking position, and a, third control operable from the inside of the door so as to be movable in one direction from a neutral position Ito shift the second reciprocable member in the said opposite direction for moving the blocking member to blocking position and to be movable in another direction from the neutral position to shift the said second reciprocable member in the said certain direction for moving the blocking member out of blocking position and for releasing the holding means, and means for urging the third control member in the saidy other direction after movement thereof in the said one direction bringing the blocking member to blocking position for causing the saidblocking mem- 

